AP
by BabyPinecone
Summary: A new girl enters the Xavier Institute. But why did her parents want to get rid of her so bad? What happened in England? Kurtxoc. Rated T to be safe. First fanfic, R&R please!
1. Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men evolution or anything to do with it.

_**One**_

The sun glinted on the polished black metal of the sleek jaguar purring along the road, much like the cat it had got its name from. Inside was a haven of brushed aluminium, black velvet and leather. Two white gloved hands expertly welded the steering wheel, turning it and adjusting the gear stick with as much grace as a ballet dancer. The uniformed chauffeur turned his head to speak into the small microphone mounted in between the two front seats.

"Are you comfortable in there, miss?"

"Yeah, thanks." The voice betrayed none of the frantic thoughts running through the passengers head, but the drumming fingers on the leather armrest gave away this cool customer and her real thoughts. Her chauffeur could not see his passenger through the black tinted screen separating the front and back seats of the car, but he heard the out-of time drumming and turned back to the road. It was long and wide, with no bends or turns, and the golden sun shone down on the dusty tarmac, casting up small heat waves into the atmosphere. Sweat glistened on the chauffeur's clean forehead. He could have taken his hands off the wheel and gone to sleep, but he knew that was more than his jobs worth. All he had to do was get this young teen to 'The Xavier Institute' and leave, and then he would get his money. _Who would pay that much to deliver one kid?_ He had thought briefly before accepting the job. _Her parents must want to get rid of her bad. Maybe she's disgraced them or something. Maybe this 'Xavier Institute is really a hostel where she'll 'disappear'…_ But after looking up the Xavier institute on the internet and seeing that it was all it claimed to be, a board-house for gifted children, his mind was soon put to rest. But he couldn't forget the disgusted edge to her parents' voices as they gave him his instructions.

"_We don't care how long it takes you to get her to the damn institute when you're in America. But we both want her out of England by tonight. The quicker the better."_ It had not been his place to inquire why, but it was obvious that there was something in this teen that revolted her parents so much they were willing to pay anything to get her out of their sight.

_Well, it's not like they don't have enough money to._ He thought. Imagine! Never in his days of chauffeuring had he ever served the likes of such celebrities: Georgina Flower (the most prized catwalk model and head of the highly successful Flower Cosmetics) and Adrian Passion, (the billionaire oil tycoon), the most famous married couple to step into the limelight! Such honour!

The sight of two high, iron gates shocked the chauffeur out of his memories. As he drove the car elegantly infront of the gates, the intercom buzzed into action.

"Yes?"

"I am with Ms Ab-"

"Of course. Please, come in." The chauffeur gasped as the gates rolled open. A magnificent white building lay down the long and curving driveway. "Welcome to the Xavier institute."

"Kurt, get away from the window. Professor Xavier will see you and get…ideas." The blue furred, slightly demonic-looking teen stuck his blue tongue out at Kitty, who rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her magazine.

"A car's pulling up!" Kurt's heavily accented German voice rang out through the Rest and Recreation room like a foghorn.

"It's probably the new kid." Logan growled, spearing an apple with his metal claws.

Kurt turned to the small table beside him where a pair of binoculars lay. His three fingered hands adjusted the dials quickly and soon a close-up of the black car outside came into focus.

"What can you see, Kurt?" Kitty asked. Kurt didn't reply. Suitcases were being loaded out of the boot by a man in a smart uniform. They were old and battered, but there were dozens of stickers all over them.

"The door's opening!" Kurt almost yelled in excitement.

"What's she called, anyway?" A slow drawl broke the after shock of Kurt's exclamation. Rogue waited for someone to answer her question, and when no-one did she collapsed on the sofa next to Evan.

"Charles didn't say." Logan finally answered, through a mouthful of apple.

"Hey, Kurt, can you see anything yet?" Kitty asked. She was immediately shushed by Kurt, and Evan, overcome by curiosity, got up and walked around to the window which Kurt was staring out of. A pair of feet emerged from the car door, cased in bright yellow sneakers. Tattered, holey jeans followed, with a studded belt slung around the hips. White sleeveless top topped with a grey and red baseball jacket, a single amber necklace around the neck. And then finally, _finally_, the new girl turned away from looking into the car to face the institute.

"Is she pretty?" Jean asked, looking up from her chess game with Scott.

Kurt stared through the binoculars at the new student of the Xavier Institute. Hair the colour of ripe oranges hung down and draped over her shoulders; bright eyes stared up at wonder at the institute, and a smile played around the full and curved lips. A scatter of freckles around the nose and a small swish of eyeliner around the eyes completed the image. Jean repeated her question, now completely ignorant to chess. Suddenly, a 'bamf' sound and a brimstone stench answered all questions.

"Yeah, she's pretty." Scott sighed.

"Welcome to the Xavier Institute." The new girl turned to see a neatly suited, bald man wheel up from the open doors. At first he looked sombre and serious, but he smiled, and warmth flooded into Abigail's heart. A spark lit up his brown eyes as she smiled as wide as her mouth would let her. The figure of Charles Xavier moved further towards her, and behind him a beautiful African woman dressed in a long, flowing skirt and a white embroidered top emerged, her white hair brushed back from her face and fluttering slightly in the warm breeze. Her gentle smile gave out an immense aura of peace and serenity, and it soon stretched as the new students face lit up and her smile erupted into a grin of gratitude.

"On the contrary, thanks for letting me come! I just hope I'll be happy here -" The last of her sentence was slightly edged with a fringe of almost mournful hope.

"I'm sure you will. Your _gifts_ will not be mocked here. Now, how about we meet your fellow students?" Charles turned his wheelchair swiftly around and then felt himself smile at the commotion going on behind him.

"No, really, I can take them. Honestly."

"No, miss, I can. I refuse to let you take them."

"Look, I don't like treating people like a servant. Give me them, I'll take them. Honestly." Ororo smiled at their new arrivals feisty and independent demeanour, one she learned to respect within a small amount of time. Her white hair curled around her shoulders as the breeze blew up suddenly.

"No, miss, I-"

"JUST LET GO OF MY DAMNED SUITCASES!" Charles turned his head to see the uniformed chauffeur jump back as the teen girl grabbed her suitcases with surprising strength and agility and jumped up the steps before he could do anything about it. Charles smiled, and as the doors opened he saw Ororo look fondly upon her. She was swinging the bags at her sides, with an easy grin plastered on her face as she looked around the opening foyer with wonder in her eyes. She was ideal.

"Where's Kurt gone?" Evan asked as he saw the professor wheel into the foyer.

"Dunno. But he'll miss the first appearance of the newbie if he doesn't arrive soon." Rogue drawled, turning her head to look at the opening doors.

"Students, this is the newest addition to the institute." Charles said, moving in and facing his pupils. Ororo came in, and looked over her shoulder. No-one followed.

"Come in, child. They won't bite!" She smiled, stepping back.

"Mr. Logan might." Kitty muttered, grinning to herself.

"Pupils," Charles said, smiling as he saw out of the corner of his eye a bright yellow sneaker edge its way into the room, "Meet Abigail Passion-Flower." Then she was in the room, one hand crossed behind her back and the other making the well-known peace sign.

"Um…hi. " There was a small silence as everyone stared at her and drank in her well worn but expensive clothes, her boyish frame and above all, her stunning ginger hair. Suddenly a loud 'bamf' broke the silence like a bomb exploding. A familiar blue teen appeared in a puff of smoke right next to Abigail.

"Welcome, fraulien! I am Kurt Wagner, here to show you around your new home!" Kurt's face was barely a couple of inches away from Abigail's. The shocked look on her face soon passed away to an amused one, although Kitty thought she saw an undertone of uneasiness.

"Erm, h-hi there, furry blue dude." She stuttered, but then her bright green eyes stared as Kurt brought a fresh rose up to hand to her with a look of unbounded triumph on his face.

"A welcome gift, for you." He said softly, grinning. Abigail couldn't help but notice the fangs.

"Wow…thanks!" She took it and stroked the soft yellow petals, gazing absent-mindedly around the room. Rogue smiled at her; Kitty waved and grinned; Evan gave her the thumbs-up, and even Logan came close to smiling - but then he just nodded. Scott and Jean came over and in turn shook her hand.

"Welcome. I'm Scott, this is Jean. We're the eldest students here." Scott's easy grin made Abigail look on him like an older brother, and when Jean stepped forward to greet her Abigail's smile stretched even further.

"Hi. You'll be very happy here, don't worry! If you ever have any trouble with anything, don't be afraid to come to talk to me about it." Jean clasped Abigail's hand, and for a moment Abigail looked like she would never let go. Then she squeezed it and dropped her hand to her side, stuffing it in her pocket.

"Thank you." She blurted out, but her voice was soft, gentle. "Everyone's so nice!" Abigail's voice rang out through the room, her smile radiant. Her shoulders heaved slightly, and she switched her suitcases to the opposite hands as she had done twice before. Kurt saw this, and jumped at the chance to help.

"Here, fraulien, let me help. I'll show you to your room!" And before Abigail could protest Kurt had taken both her suitcases from her and started to walk with a spring in his step towards the staircase.

"Look, I'm no kid. I can handle my own luggage. Hey! Careful with that handle! I'll take one…Kurt, give it here…" Abigail's voice gradually grew fainter she jogged up the steps beside Kurt, who seemed delighted to be the centre of her attention -or at least, holding the bags that were. The eyes of the people in the R&R room followed her.

"I like her." Rogue said, breaking the silence.

"Same. She so…like, cool, you know? I can feel that she's reliable. I like that!" Kitty added, fanning herself with her glossy magazine.

"Did you see those stickers on her suitcase? The British Skateboarders League -gold member! She's got to have a skateboard!" Evan raved, his hands flying above his head.

"Yeah, she seems nice enough. She's already taken a shine to Scott!" Jean laughed, nudging Scott in the ribs, who went slightly pink. Logan stabbed the apple core with a claw and threw it expertly into the bin. He glanced at Professor Xavier's face. They both seemed to converse silently.

"She'll be fine, Charles. Just make sure elf there doesn't annoy her. I wouldn't like to see her angry." His voice rumbled around the room like an angry volcano. Charles nodded.

"I agree. But we can't keep her powers bounded forever. It sounds like she had enough of that in Britain. She'll need extensive training." Logan nodded.

"Yeah. With gifts like that, who wouldn't?"

"This is your room, fraulien."

"Quit calling me that-oh my…" Abigail gazed round her room in wonder. It was filled with perfectly normal things: a bed in one corner, a desk below a painting, a wardrobe by the window, and a couple of pictures…to some it may seem like a perfectly average room. But it was the amount of space in between that seemed to awe Abigail.

"It's so big…"She marvelled, looking up at the high ceiling and turning round to get a full look at her surroundings. Kurt smiled and put her cases gently down by her wardrobe.

"You know, Abigail, in Germany we have a custom for thanking someone…" Abigail turned to face him, a look of inquiring innocence on her face.

"Yeah? What is it?" She stared as Kurt walked up in front of her and leaned forward, his eyes closed and his lips puckered. For a second there was a silence. Then-

"_Out._" Kurt opened his eyes to see Abigail's face set hard. Her eyes were narrowed into black slits, and her lips were pursed. Kurt did notice, however, the pink tinge that had come to her cheeks.

"Was? It's only a harmless kiss…"

"_OUT! NOW_!" Kurt tried not to grin as Abigail pushed him towards the doors and shoved him out. As the door slammed behind him he let an impish grin spread all over his blue furry face. Then he danced downstairs and was greeting by the laughs of his fellow boarders.

"You tried to, didn't you?"

"Stupid elf!"

Abigail faintly heard the sounds of laughed and smiled to herself. She gazed back out of the window, surveying the acres of beautiful grounds the Institute commanded. It was so serene…Abigail never thought she would see any countryside that was more in harmony with its surroundings than the countryside of England. But here in America, in Bayville, there were so many trees and open land that it was as if Nature had welcomed man into its land, and man, in return, had respected their boundaries of industry and left whole acres of ground untouched. She pondered over her surroundings as she unpacked her clothes and possessions, opening each drawer of the desk and filling it up untidily. Within an hour she had unpacked and had turned her attention back to the window.

She was soon jerked out of her thoughts by someone calling her name.

"Abigail! Tea-time!" She heard laughter and commotion from downstairs. Soon other voices joined the first and soon it seemed that everyone was yelling her name, beckoning her downstairs, welcoming her to her new home. Abigail grinned as she heard one voice rise above the rest, with a distinct German accent.

"Coming!" She bellowed back, and looked over the grounds once more before turning to go and join her new family.

On entering the dining room, lead by a beautiful African woman Abigail soon learned to called Ororo (or Storm); Abigail soon learned that everyone seemed to ignore the rules about misusing their powers. A brunette called Kitty reached through Rogue, a moody rebel, to get to the butter. Evan was spearing his food in a kebab-style way with one of his spikes protruding from his hand, and Kurt was teleporting all about the room to collect the food he wished. Abigail looked up at Ororo.

"I thought-" She began, but Ororo's smile stopped her.

"As long as they don't harm anything or anyone, no-one will mind. You just have to be careful that no-one outside the institute sees you or them using their…gifts." Abigail nodded. She of all people understood that. Ororo gently steered her to the one free seat inbetween Kurt and Rogue and then went to sit down opposite her. Abigail quickly helped herself to some sandwiches before Kurt took any, and settled back in her seat to eat. Soon everyone had joined her after the platters on the table had been cleared.

"So, Abigail," Kitty said through a mouthful of lettuce. "What got you here?" Abigail looked up to see everyone looking at her.

"Um…" She swallowed. "A- a car?" She went red when everyone laughed, cursing her stupidity.

"I think what Kitty is trying to ask is what makes you different from other people? Have you got a talent which brought you here?" Jean asked with a gentle smile, cutting a piece of meat delicately with her knife and fork. Abigail glanced at Ororo, who had, even in the few minutes they had known each other, become an almost mother-like figure to her. She nodded. Abigail brought her hand up, palm facing up to the ceiling. To anyone who didn't have the insight of those with the x-gene, it merely looked like a gesture. But almost everyone in the room was quick to note how the flames of the candles seemed to bend towards Abigail's hand, how the water in the jug ever so slightly shifted towards her- and how the branches outside seemed to bend towards the windows.

"Has someone got a window open? There's a draft coming through." Kitty asked, a wisp of her hair getting caught infront of her face. It was Abigail who answered.

"Believe me, no window is open." It took a few moments for Kitty to catch up with everyone else.

"Oh!" She gasped, looking at the candles, the water in her glass, and then the branches outside. As Abigail followed her gaze the rose bush bloomed new roses, and a vine snaked its way up a tree. "Oh!" Kitty looked back at Abigail.

"Your eyes…they aren't usually that colour, are they?" Rogue stared into the slightly yellow depths of Abigail's eyes. Then she blinked, and the new boarder's eyes were back to being a bright shade of green, the breeze had gone, and the water sloshed back into place.

"Abigail has the valuable talent to control the four ancient elements: Air, Water, Fire and Earth." Charles Xavier's voice rang out through the room.

"Cool." Evan grinned. "Must be helpful when you don't want to do sports." Abigail shook her head.

"I don't normally do rain, if that's what you're saying. It takes a lot out of me. But yeah-" She grinned. "It's helped me in more encounters than I care to mention." Logan noticed the slight waver in her voice as she spoke. Something told him that her 'gifts' had helped her quite recently. And from the way she seemed to be more alert than even him, Logan soon realised that her latest encounter hadn't been one of an ordinary kind.

"After tea, Abigail, would you kindly report to me? I'll get you suited up and then we'll have to see how your gifts work out." Ororo said, her voice calm and soothing.

"How my gifts work out?" A look of confusion passed over Abigail's face.

"You're going to be put in the danger room. Ow!" It was the first time Kurt spoke since the beginning of the meal. Kitty kicked him under the table at his careless use of words.

"The danger room?!" Abigail exclaimed, wildly looking at Ororo. "What the heck is that?" She didn't like the sound of it at all. She briefly remembered her home…this danger room sounded all too familiar.

"The danger room is a training facility. You'll be perfectly safe, Abigail. We'll just put up dummies and such to see how you manipulate the elements to your own advantage." The professor said, setting down his cutlery. Abigail glanced at Kurt, who smiled. Instead of re-assuring Abigail, this only made her more cautious. But then Logan, sitting across from her, caught her eye. His face was giving away no emotion, but in his eyes Abigail found a small shred of trust.

"Well, if you say so…" Abigail mumbled, lowering herself back into her chair, shrugging. She jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Ororo smiled down at her.

"There's no time like the present." Abigail stared for a second, but then got up and followed her out of the dining room, but not before glancing over her shoulder at her fellow boarders. Kurt gave her the thumbs up, along with Evan. Kitty smiled reassuringly. Rogue was the only one who didn't turn round. Abigail smiled back at Kitty and pulled the door shut behind her, but it was a long time before her footsteps stopped echoing around the room.


	2. The Danger Room

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution or anything to do with it.

* * *

_**Two**_

"Don't worry, Abigail. You won't get hurt." Abigail craned her neck to look up at the huge suspended structure looming over the Danger room. Everyone peered back at her through the glass walls.

"Professor, I can't help but think what I'll do to all this expensive equipment. If you really want me to show my…uh…gifts, then I'm sure to damage something." She heard the professor chuckle.

"Abigail, don't worry! Just show us how you defend yourself. All this equipment is expendable. You are not." Scott spoke for the professor. Abigail rolled her eyes.

"Fine…but I don't really see the point in being dressed up like a glorified cheerleader." Abigail had changed out of her clothes into her 'suit'. Soft black material covered every part of her body except for her head. It moved in perfect harmony with her structure, and the yellow gloves and peter-pan like shoes she wore were more comfortable than anything else she had ever worn. A yellow belt was tied about her waist with the letter 'X' indented in shiny silver metal as the buckle. A yellow sash crossed over either of her shoulders, making a bigger X on her chest and back. The addition Abigail had insisted on having was a black skirt, made out of the same material as all the rest of her costume. She said that wearing a 'bumblebee-inspired catsuit' made her feel like a cat burglar on rehab. Adding a skirt made her feel more human.

"You ready, Abigail?" Jeans kind voice echoed throughout the chamber. Abigail, trying not to get too jumpy, gave her the thumbs up. There was silence as she could hear switches being flicked, buttons being pressed. Then-

"What the- !" Abigail ducked as a metal claw shot out from the wall. As she followed its progress from her crouched position, it turned and looped back on itself to come at her. Abigail was suddenly thankful that she had been doing gymnastics ever since she could remember. She easily jumped out of the way and then sprung like a cat, pushing onto the thick metal body with her gloved hands, and propelling herself even further away from the metal monster and landing at the other side of the room.

"Don't avoid it, kid. Crush it!" Abigail repressed a grin as Logan's voice rang through her ears. The metal claw turned to her, suspended above her like an oversized snake. Abigail closed her eyes. With lightening speed it bent to dive down at her, but it didn't move any further than a metre.

Roots burst forth from the ground like fists reaching for the sky and within seconds the claw was wrapped in a writhing mass, with mud still shaking off them from the ground. Up above there was a sudden silence. Rogue was the first to speak.

"Wow."

"Oh my god! Look at her eyes!" Kitty squealed. Everyone, including the professor, leaned over the control panel to see the boyish frame of Abigail commanding more and more roots to wrestle the claw down to the ground. Yellow light radiated from her eyes. With a shudder the metal claw fell to the ground, and everyone watched as yet more roots poured from the ground, tying the metal claw to the floor.

"Very good, Abigail. Astounding control. Now, may we see how you control the other three elements?" Abigail blinked, and the light disappeared from her eyes. The roots stopped moving, but still bound the claw down like they had been there for years.

"Sure, professor. Bring it on." Scott smiled. Abigail had immediately discarded her wariness for her true self. She had blossomed.

A whirring and clicking came from the walls as Charles' fingers ran over the keyboard. Abigail turned around and around, trying to find where the noise was coming from in particular.

_The sound-it's not around me._ Abigail thought_. And it's not below me either._ Then the penny dropped. She looked up. A dozen balls where plummeting towards her, spikes shooting out from their metallic surfaces. Abigail immediately dived behind the metal claw, struggling to think which element she should use. _They're coming from the sky, they're flying…_ she smiled as a wind started to stir. Abigail summoned up her courage and climbed on top of the claw. The wind inside grew stronger and stronger as Abigail's eyes shone brighter and brighter. She jumped-and she flew. The air circled her whole body, sending her hair billowing out behind her as she zipped past the oncoming spheres. As she turned in mid-air to face the spheres they in turn swung round to come at her in a long line. Abigail waited till they were seconds away from impact then started to spin, her arms out by her sides and her legs together. She was pirouetting through the air, and the spheres spun around her, trying to clash and sandwich her in between. But it soon became clear what Abigail was intending to do.

"A whirlwind!" Kurt yelped, his eyes widening. Abigail became a black and yellow blur surrounded by a grey ring as she spun faster and faster, the wind around her growing into a very familiar cone shape spiralling upwards. Then, all of a sudden, Abigail stopped, and sent the spheres flying off in different directions as their point of balance awkwardly shifted and they spun out of control. Abigail landed on the ground delicately and smiled, waiting for the next obstacle. Her eyes stayed yellow as a soothing breeze rippled her hair and skirt. Ororo could see Charles was impressed. She had destroyed the claw and the spheres in record time.

"Impressive." Was all he said before a square of the wall was removed and a laser gun the size of Abigail's head slid out. Abigail stared at it for a split second before it opened fire. Red bolts arced as Abigail leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding a laser beam to the foot. As she leapt she twisted her mid-section and held her hands infront of her, palms facing the barrel of the gun. A huge turret of water exploded from her hands, and upon impact with the gun it sparked and crackled. Abigail landed awkwardly on her back, but jumped to her feet. She seemed a little disappointed when she realised the gun was broken and she could not fight a little longer.

"Was it just me or did the water she just used seem to come not from her palms, but a bit infront of them?" Jean asked, leaning against the glass to wave at Abigail. The professor was already speaking into the microphone.

"Abigail, could you use some water for us? So we can see it?" Abigail's brow furrowed.

"You mean…make some water? Like I did just then?" Everyone nodded through the glass. "Okay…" Abigail held up her left hand and rubbed her fingers together. Like filling an invisible sphere with water, a small droplet suspended in mid-air grew until it was the size of a cricket ball. It floated just inside Abigail's cupped hand. "I don't know how it works," She said, looking up. "I just think of water and rub my fingers, and it appears."

"Why does she sound like she's trying to apologise for it?" Evan asked to no-one in particular, turning away from the window to stretch his arms. No-one replied, but Logan growled.

"And your last element-fire? How do you-" Xavier was cut short when Abigail raised her right hand and snapped her fingers. A flickering flame rose up from her touching index finger and thumb. Charles was silent.

"Kid, show us the fire thing. Why don't you use it as a flame-thrower or something?"

"Uhh, ok." Abigail closed her hand that held the water sphere into a fist, and when she opened it the watery bubble had disappeared. She put her left over her right one, still holding the small flame, and closed her eyes. The flame she held ignited both her hands, but as her fellow mutants watched, it engulfed her entire body.

"She'll burn to death!" Kurt almost screamed, but was hit over the side of the head before he could port down to save her. He rubbed his head and glared at Rogue.

"She'll be fine, doofus. She controls fire, remember?" She sighed, her western drawl exaggerating her contempt.

Down below Abigail opened her eyes. They shone with yellow light.

"I prefer 'or something'." She grinned, and waved an enflamed hand at Logan. Jean laughed and clapped her hands. Scott joined in, and soon everyone was clapping Abigail. Her grin spread wider and she bowed, flourishing her hands and leaving a fiery stream in her wake.

"Okay, Abigail. You can come on up now." Ororo announced through the microphone. Abigail nodded and as she walked the flames igniting her dwindled down to nothing. There was not even a singe on her skin, and her clothes were not even smouldering. There was silence as the professor gave the session he had just recorded a name. As the door slid open to reveal Abigail, every one of the young mutants crowded around her.

"Nice one, Abigail!" Evan cheered, holding up his hand for a high-five. Abigail slapped it with her own hand expertly. She then did a high ten with Kitty, and to everyone's surprise, a high ten with Rogue. The even bigger surprise was that Rogue was the one who ran up to Abigail and held up her hands.

"That fire trick you got there was awesome! I met a lot of people who like to think they can control fire, but you top them all!" She smiled, slapping Abigail on the bag. Abigail grinned.

"You were amazing, fraulien." Kurt appeared beside Abigail, making her jump. She looked like she was about to get slightly mad, but Kurt smiled at her, and to Rogues amazement Abigail went slightly pink.

"Thanks, imp." Abigail replied, slapping his upturned palm.

"Abigail," Professor Xavier wheeled up to Abigail, with Ororo by his side. "The extent of control you have over your powers is indeed eye-opening. Many people who have a x-gene as powerful as yours have either gone insane or used their power for bad deeds-to see such a young person with so much power over their actions really does make me proud to have you here at the Institute. But-" Here Abigail sighed.

"But, professor?"

"As I was saying, you have complete power over your gifts. But I still wish you to take lessons in using them for something other than defence and attack. The four elements hold something here on earth, and you will find yourself having to either avoid or use them in daily life when you leave the institute. And since it is excruciatingly hard to avoid them-especially air-I think it is best that you take lessons in learning to use them for something other than you did just now. Something like...beauty."

"Pardon, professor?" Abigail seemed startled at his choice of words. Ororo stepped forward.

"I command power over the weather, Abigail." Abigail's eyes widened of their own accord. "I care greatly for plants. I use my gift to help them grow and prosper. I would love for you to learn to turn your talents in such a way too." Abigail held Ororo's gaze. Her eyes flickered to Logan for a second, who nodded. She finally shrugged in submission.

"If you guys say so. I don't want to go disobeying rules on my first day." Charles and Ororo smiled.

"Excellent. I'll soon inform you when your first lesson shall be. But now, I think it is time we all turned in." Charles' voice left no room for protest. Everyone filed out except for Logan, Ororo and Charles. Logan stood staring out the glass walls at the damage Abigail had done.

"All that," He growled, "And she didn't even break a sweat."

"We can't let Magneto or Mystique get her, Charles." Ororo spoke with a protective edge to her voice. "If they did…we would surely be in no place to resist. The damage she could do…"

"I know, Ororo. That is why she will be on constant watch over the next few months." Charles' voice was calm and organised.

"By who?" Ororo asked, turning to face her trusted ally and friend. Logan grunted, walking out of the room. His voice was loud and hard as steel as the door slid shut behind him.

"Me."

* * *

Review, please! Any comments welcome, but useful critism especially. Thanks!


	3. That First Day At School

Disclaimer: I do not own x-men evolution or anything to do with it.

_**Three**_

Abigail awoke before her alarm. Light seeped through the small crack in the curtains, cutting the room in half with a thin, even line. _Today I start school once again._ Abigail had lost count of how many schools she had studied at. Most of them had been boarding schools, where she was cut off from her friends who lived in the normal world of family love and trust and thrown into a new one of strict regime with no reward. While she struggled to resist using her 'gifts' to free her of her chains her sister did what ever she liked. A small judder of hate surged through Abigail's body as she remembered her sister's face. No one-_no one_ deserved the sly sneers and pinches she had got; the dismissive air that entered whichever room she stepped in, the disgust and revolt that her mother and father had bourn unto her.

Abigail was relieved when her alarm started to beep and she was shocked out of her thoughts. _Such thoughts as that provoke worse tendencies, _She thought as she dressed. Her beloved green and white Gola bag was already packed and ready. She hoisted it over her shoulder and picked up her baseball jacket from her bedpost. With a final glance around her room, she closed the doors behind her and left for breakfast.

She didn't notice her forgotten mobile phone silently flashing red and white lights under her bed, where it had fallen out of her baseball jacket pocket as she tucked it over her arm. If she had, it was doubtless her reaction would have been to throw it against the wall. For there, on the screen, was the name she hated most.

Calling: Rose

"Guten morgen, Fraulein!" Kurt sang as Abigail entered the dining room, placing her bags and jacket along side the pile beside the hat stand. She smiled back at Kurt.

"Morning!" As she sat down she heard a small 'bamf' sound next to her. Kurt was behind her, thrusting a platter of bacon and eggs under her nose.

"The bacon is delicious!" Abigail hesitantly pushed a slice onto her plate, then exclaimed as Kurt piled on two eggs and another slice of bacon.

"Hey, urm, I can get my own breakfast!" Logan growled beside her.

"Leave her alone, elf. The last thing we need is her getting mad this early in the morning." Abigail was unsure how to react, so she just started to eat her hot breakfast. Within five minutes it was gone.

"Wow. You, like, totally ate faster than Kurt!" Kitty laughed, sipping her orange juice.

"Who did?" Rogue had appeared in the doorway, her face a portrait of sullen attitude.

"Abigail did! It went in, like, three minutes!" Abigail smiled fondly at Kitty. Her happy-go-lucky attitude was contagious. Kitty smiled back. Abigail turned in her seat to face Rogue.

"Morning, Rogue. Sorry there's no more bacon. I was a little peckish."

"That's okay." Almost everyone stared at Rogue. Abigail seemed to provoke a softer side to her, one none of them had seen before. Kitty briefly wondered if Rogue was ill.

The next half an hour was a blur. Everyone finished breakfast, Kurt and Evan argued over whose turn it was to wash up, Scott briefly misplaced his car keys, but finally all the scholars were ready to return to school. As Abigail, Kurt, Jean, Rogue, Evan and Kitty waited outside the doors of the institute for Scott to come round in his car to take them to Bayville high, Abigail threw a sidelong glance at Kurt. He managed to catch her eyes and grinned, revealing pointed fangs.

"Are you going to school like that?" Abigail couldn't help but ask. Kurt looked down at what he was wearing.

"Was? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Abigail laughed.

"No, stupid. What I mean is-are you going to go to school all blue and furry?" Kurt yelped, and fiddled around with a thick black wristwatch. Under Abigail's humorous eyes he finally managed to press the right button, causing Abigail to step back slightly as he transformed before her eyes into what would appear to anyone outside the institute as an ordinary, if slightly German schoolboy. But it was not the transformation that surprised Abigail. That she could cope with. It was the fact that under the fur and fangs Kurt seemed to be quite an attractive boy. He smiled at her again.

"Better?" Abigail nodded, turning her head away to talk to Kitty. She felt like she was being x-rayed under his eyes.

"Anyone at school I should watch out for?" She asked, trying not to feel guilty at cutting off Kurt like she just did. Kitty nodded, her features screwing up into a disgusted grimace.

"Yeah. Four idiots. Lance, Pietro, Fred and Todd. I'll point them out to you." Her voice spat their names out like a viper spitting poison.

"You'll be able to tell who they are. Just look for a big 'L' painted on their foreheads." Rogue muttered. Kitty giggled, putting her thumb and forefinger up on her own forehead in a crude 'L'.

Abigail cheered as she saw Scott's car pull up.

"Scott's here! Come on, let's go!" But Abigail soon saw a problem. She turned to Jean.

"There are only five seats. And Scott's in one of them. We're not all going to fit!"

"Maybe some of us could share a seat…" Kurt grinned, looking towards Abigail, who grinned back with an equally impish spark in her eye. She was about to speak, when, to her surprise, Rogue's gloved hand shot out and pushed him away.

"Good idea, Kurt. Evan can sit on your lap, Kitty on Jean's and me and Abigail can have our own seats." There was silence while Kurt and Evan's mouths dropped open.

"Hey! How come I have to sit on Kurt's lap? Unfair!" Rogue turned on Evan, fingering her glove.

"I'd just do what I suggested, Evan. Or you may find yourself all pinned up like a voodoo doll. Got it?" Evan glanced down at Rogues glove. She was patiently fingering the seams.

"Uh…yeah. But you owe me." He grumbled, climbing in. Kurt disappeared and re-appeared on Evan's lap, causing him to yelp.

"Quit it, fuzzball!" Kurt just grinned. Kitty obediently sat on Jeans lap, and they began to talk of schoolwork. Rogue took the last seat in the back, and then gestured for Abigail to get in the front passenger seat. Abigail set down her bag and turned to face Rogue.

"Thanks Rogue. I really appreciate this." Rogue almost smiled.

"Don't worry about it." With a roar the car set off and jerked Abigail towards the wind screen. A strong gust of wind suddenly blew half a dozen branches across the drive and ripped leaves off the surrounding bushes.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Abigail yelped, and the wind dropped. "You caught me by surprise there, Scott!" Scott humbly apologised, but there seemed to be no need. Abigail was smiling. Rogue wasn't. Her hand darted out, and Scott's head jerked forward.

"Hey! Rogue, that's dangerous!" He yelled, the sun glinting off his sunglasses, perching dangerously just in front of his eyes. Rogue obviously didn't care.

"Well, be more careful next time you start the car, dumbass! We- or Abigail- could have got whiplash!" Kitty made a mental note to ask Rogue why she seemed so protective of Abigail. On the way to school Abigail checked she had everything, double checked, and then triple checked. As the red and white sports car pulled up infront of Bayville high, Kitty noticed Abigail go slightly white as Janice Preston, the blonde leading cheerleader, danced past with her red and white pom-poms.

"You okay, Abigail?" Kurt asked, jumping off Evan's lap.

"Mmm? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Juuust fine." Abigail mumbled, walking up towards the glass double doors. Kitty and Rogue flagged her on either side.

"Why is Rogue so protective of her?" Evan grumbled, getting on his skateboard and wheeling off. Kurt shrugged to himself and ran after the formidable threesome.

"Wait up! Hey, Abigail! Kitty, Rogue!" Kurt stopped, pouting slightly. Abigail pushed the doors open with her back, since she was holding an armful of books, and looked up to see Kurt. She tried to wave him over, but since her arms were full she just smiled. Then she disappeared into the building, with Kitty leading the way. Kurt briefly wondered where she was going, and then turned to follow Scott to the lockers.

"Principal Howl's office is just down here. She'll give you your schedule and tell you the necessary information about Bayville high." Kitty told Abigail, stopping at her locker and spinning the dial.

"You'll be fine." Rogue grumbled, shielding her eyes against the sun streaming through the windows.

"Hey, Kitty? Who's the gingernut?" Abigail turned to see a group of boys standing by a recently graffitied poster. One was startlingly fat, and another stunk so bad that Abigail could smell it from where she was standing. The one who had spoken had brownish long hair, and Abigail was quick to note his dirty clothes like all the others. A white-haired boy in startlingly white trainers flashed equally, bleached white teeth. Kitty rolled her eyes and was about to reply when Abigail stepped forward, her eyebrows raised slightly and her head tilted to one side, but her mouth was curved into a smile that bordered on the edge of looking slightly demonic.

"This 'ginger', as you so bluntly put it, you leatherhead, is called Abigail, and if you ever refer to me like that again I'll make sure that your thick head is smashed through that damned wall behind you." Her voice was mockingly polite, and her venomous words were highly enhanced by her clean-cut English accent, and as she turned on her heel a small giggle erupted from Kitty. The four boys stared after her as she rounded a corner and her footsteps faded away. Kitty stole a glance at them before running after her.

"Leave her alone, Lance. You won't like to get her angry." A faint warning tone entered her usually sparky voice. Lance glared at her through his long brown hair.

"I could bury her within a second." He growled. A harsh voice beside him leant in, making him take a step back. Fire danced in the pits of Rogue's dark eyes.

"If you try to even scratch her, you piece of dirt, I'll drain so much of your worthless soul that you'll have to eat through a straw for the rest of your life!" She turned, and then, as an afterthought, added: "Besides, you may be able to bury her, but she'll be able to send you to the centre of the earth. Don't challenge her in her own element." For a moment she thought that Lance understood what she way saying, but it soon became clear that he was only faintly surprised that she took such a protective view over Abigail's affairs. As Rogue met with Kitty, who waited for her around the next corridor, Kitty noted her almost infuriated features. Kitty and Rogue had never been close, but it seemed that Abigail had an uncanny way of bringing people together.

"Why are you so protective of Abigail anyway?" Kitty asked casually, walking with her along the tiled floor. Rogue thought she might get mad for a split second, but then decided against it. Rogue looked down at the floor.

"Back home…in Mississippi, at my old school, there was this girl. Estelle. She was exactly like Abigail-ginger hair, fiery temper, but always caring. She lit up a room just by walking into it. She was the one of the few people I've ever met at that school who were able to look past my appearance into what I was like underneath- she didn't care that she lost one or two friends in the process, she talked to me like I was a real person, despite my efforts to warn her away. Then…" Her voice faltered slightly, and Kitty tried to see past the curtain of hair over her face. "Then…one night, out in town, there was an accident. A car crash. Estelle got hurt, badly…and she died. Life like that, extinguished. I never forgave myself for just letting her get killed like that." Kitty screwed up her face.

"What do you mean, you never forgave yourself? It wasn't your fault, was it?" Rogue looked at Kitty. Her eyes glistened in the harsh light.

"Don't you get it? I fell in with a bad crowd, dammit...the car-" By now Rogue's voice was a hoarse whisper, and she broke off suddenly, looking down at her feet. She pushed in through a door into her lesson and left Kitty standing in the corridor, her mouth agape. It had occurred to Kitty to think about Rogues pastonce or twice…but even she hadn't expected Rogue to get mixed up in anything to do with death. Kitty shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of such judgemental thoughts, but she knew she would never tell anyone of what Rogue had just told her. With a final, reproachful sigh, Kitty pushed open the door to her math class and busied herself with grade A algebra.

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As always, reviews always needed, and thanks to wisdom-jewel for helping me out on a little error! Much appreciated (: BP


	4. Room 22

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

"Here is your time-table, Abigail. I'm sure a girl with such _talents _as yours will have no trouble finding her way around." Abigail looked up from squinting at the tiny type on her time-table and eyed Principal Darkholme suspiciously. Had she put particular emphasis on the word 'talents'? Or was Abigail just being paranoid, seeing as it was her first day here in Bayville?

"Mm." Abigail mumbled, blinking as the sunlight flashed off Principal Darkholme's smart rimless glasses.

"Abigail, before you go, I want to give you a word of advice." Abigail looked back down at her time table, but still listening. Principal Darkholme steamrollered on, ignoring Abigail's apparent disdain.

"If you ever feel unappreciated, Abigail, or you don't think your _talents_ are doing you any justice, come to me. I can help." Abigail's neck cracked as she whipped her head up.

"What?" Principal Darkholme grimaced. Or it may have been a smile.

"Just a piece of harmless advice, Abigail. Nothing more. Now, run along." Abigail got up and tripped over her own feet in a desperate attempt to get out of the spacious office as soon as possible. When the door had slammed shut behind her, Principal Darkholme got up out of her chair and walked over to the window. The few paperclips on her desk began to whirl in a mini-tornado.

"She could be of great use to us, Mystique." An empty, deep voice echoed around the room. Principal Darkholme fell into a beam of light streaming in from the windows. For a couple of seconds her outline merged in with the sunbeams, and it seemed to change. Her short hair seemed to grow longer. Her pinstripe suit, for a second, shone white and definitely was _not _at all as modest as her usual attire. And her skin, briefly, but surely, turned blue. But then the sun vanished behind a cloud, the office became lit up by the fluorescent light of electricity once again, and Principal Darkholme was back to her normal self. Or as normal a principal could be. The paperclips fell back to the desk, and the voice faded into the sounds of yells and shouts from the outside P.E. lessons. But the aura of menace…of doom…still hung in the office.

Abigail looked up at the door infront of her. On the frosted window were two black roman numerals. Abigail had never got the hang of interpreting a load of dusty lines. She hoped that two X's and two I's meant class number 22. She also hoped that inside the classroom was a maths lesson. Little did she know this was the same classroom in which Kitty and Kurt studied. She lifted her fist and knocked twice, then carefully pushed the door ajar; her books cradled in her other arm. A man with a balding head of hair turned to look at her through thick-rimmed glasses. On the blackboard was a complicated mass of numbers and letters alike that Abigail assumed was algebra.

"Um, is this class 22? I'm Abigail…" she was reluctant to say her second name. The balding teacher glanced down at his register.

"Yes, so you are. Come in and take that seat next to the window. Open your textbook at page 229 and listen carefully. You've missed a lot of basis theory." He glared at her like basis theory didn't have time to wait for late-comers like her. Abigail walked over to her desk, then spotted Kitty and Kurt. Kurt beamed at her, and Kitty, luckily, was right beside her. As Abigail sat down Kitty pushed her open maths book towards her and mumbled out of the corner of her mouth: "Copy it down. He's Mr Humble. Ironic, huh?" Abigail grinned, and started to copy Kitty's neat writing in her own blank maths book. Her writing was italic and filled with lots of round letters, but her fountain pen flicked blue ink all over her hand, and when she was done she noticed with a groan that she had left smudges all over her page. Kitty shrugged.

"Don't worry. He never takes them in anyway." The rest of the lesson was a mixture of incoherent grumblings from Mr Humble and the scratching of pens as his class struggled to keep up with his barked orders. At last the bell rang and everyone flooded out, seemingly deaf to Mr Humble's orders about homework. Abigail waited for Kitty outside of class 22, who had to get her mobile phone back from Mr Humble. It seemed that he had confiscated it after it rang in his class _last week. _Kitty had been going insane without it.

As Abigail waited outside the classroom, trying to peer through the frosted glass, she heard sniggers from behind her. She turned to see the boys from earlier. Kitty had told her all their names first, but personally Abigail could have cared more about the dirt on the sole of her shoe. Abigail turned back to looking through the frosted glass.

"Has Kitty-cat told you to ignore us, ginger?" Abigail didn't need to turn around to recognise the voice of Pietro.

"No…" She said, her voice dismissive. "I just don't trust myself to speak to you without burning your pitiful little ears with words you haven't even learned yet." Pietro laughed.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?" He looked around, making sure no-one was around. Then, suddenly, he was beside Abigail, his face a hair's breadth away from her.

"I'll always be there before you, Abigail. I'm better than you. I'll always be faster! Always!" Abigail turned to face him. Her hand sped forward and stopped a millimetre before his very pale cheek. Pietro let out an un-characteristic squeak.

"That's funny," Abigail chirped, smiling. "Just then, I could have sworn my hand moved faster than yours." She brought her hand down as Kitty opened the door with her shiny, silver mobile clutched in her hand. She almost jumped when she saw Pietro standing in her way. Then she resumed her usual, happy-go-lucky attitude.

"Move." She said pointedly, phasing through him. Pietro glared after the two as they trotted down the corridor, arm in arm.

Reviews always welcomed! BP


	5. Ditz and the Shadow Dance

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

The canteen was like an overcrowded oasis in the desert. Different social groups prowled around the tables, throwing insults at each other and claiming parts of the canteen for their own. Abigail followed Kitty to the serving counter and helped herself to something a dark browny-green and bubbling that claimed to be an 'Irish Hotpot'. Kitty decided to go for a very limp salad. Abigail paid, with Kitty's help, since Abigail couldn't remember which of the coins in her hand were dimes and which were nickels. Abigail then followed Kitty to the table where Kurt was sitting, along with Evan, Scott, Jean and Rogue. It wasn't hard to find, since Kurt was standing up and waving wildly. Kitty managed to find two unused chairs and pulled them up to the grey, plastic table, scratched with names like 'Nat + Rosy 4eva' and 'Maths sux'. Abigail poked at her food and forked a piece of what she assumed was mashed potato in her mouth. It was actually over boiled carrot.

"I saw you in maths, Abigail. What do you think of Mr Humble?" Kurt asked, glugging lemonade from a can. Abigail shuddered as she swallowed a slimy piece of meat.

"He reminds me of my grandfather. Barks like a dog, looks like a chihuahua." Scott laughed, and was joined by Kurt. Abigail smiled, despite the oily taste of the cauliflower bud she had just swallowed.

"Abigail, I'm going outside to do my homework. I don't suppose you and Rogue could help?" Kitty surprised everyone by speaking up. Rogue almost choked on a mouthful of coke. Abigail nodded.

"Sure. You coming, Rogue?" Rogue shrugged, coughing as she reached for Abigail's bottle of water. Kitty got up and gathered up Abigail's, Rogue's and her own plate and put them in the pile next to the doors leading to the kitchen. Abigail picked up her bag, and smiled round at the remaining people eating at the table. Rogue tugged her bag from under Kurt's chair, (subsequently toppling him over) and followed Abigail as she walked out of the canteen with Kitty. Kurt got up from the floor and gazed after Abigail.

"She is very nice, ja?" He mumbled, bringing his chair upright. Scott exchanged a knowing glance with Jean.

"I hear there's a dance coming up." Jean said offhandedly. Kurt's ears pricked.

"Ja?" He leant in slightly. "When?"

"Coming Saturday, I think." Scott answered, trying not to grin. Kurt puffed up his chest and looked at the closing doors of the canteen. He then got up with his shoulders thrown back and almost jogged out of the canteen, his backpack thrown over his shoulder. Jean tried not to smile and suddenly took a great interest in a scratched message on the table.

Outside, on the field, Kitty and Abigail were lying in the sun, while Rogue was sitting against a tree, in the shade. Kitty and Rogue were idly talking of homework (actually, Kitty was doing most of the talking, with Rogue occasionally mumbling and muttering I return) while Abigail stared up into the clouds. It was then she noticed the banner hung over the side of the football stands.

"What's a Shadow Dance?" She asked when there was a rare pause in Kitty's chatter. Kitty turned her head to see the banner. Rogue eyed it lazily, and then met Kitty's eye. The same thoughts were running through their heads.

"It's a dance, but instead of the boys asking the girls to go, it's reversed. Like the shadow leading the person instead of the other way round." Rogue explained, picking up a twig and turning it around in her gloved hands. Abigail stayed silent for a minute.

"Are either of you going?" She asked. Kitty pondered.

"I might. It could be fun!" Abigail paused, but Kitty knew the question hanging on her lips. "I might ask Lance." Abigail sat up, her bright hair flung over her shoulder.

"What? But isn't he um, a bad guy?_"_ Rogue rolled her eyes. It was well known over the Institute that Kitty and Lance seemed to be an on-and-off couple.

"Cool it, Abigail. This is old news. And besides, they're not that bad really." Rogue drawled. Abigail grumbled and laid back down, her thoughts already whirring.

"I know I've only been here a two days, but…" Kitty turned her head to face her.

"What?"

"D'you reckon I should ask someone to go? Like, with me?" Abigail asked. It was obvious who the 'someone' was. Kitty's eyes shone.

"Yeah! You totally should, Abigail!" She exclaimed, smiling all over her face. Abigail came so close to going bright red that she suddenly found an excuse to search in her bag.

"Ask him today." Rogue suggested, stretching her arms above her head. The air was filled with the sound of her knuckles cracking. Kitty shuddered.

"Ugh, stop it! Makes me feel all shivery when people do that." She winced, and then rolled her eyes as Rogue deliberately cracked her last knuckle as loud as possible. Abigail was deaf to all this, staring out over the sports field with a pondering look plastered over her face. She was abruptly jerked out of her thoughts as Rogue touched her shoulder.

"Come on, you ditz, let's go." Abigail laughed.

"Ditz! You feeling okay, Rogue?" Rogue looked uncomfortable for a moment.

"Ditz suits you. Not in that damned slang sense-" she growled as Kitty giggled. "But in the sense that you seem so helpless sometimes. So shut up, Kitty!" Abigail nudged Kitty in the ribs, who was giggling something awful.

"Come on, let's go." Rogue huffed and stormed off to the school building. Kitty let out a high-pitched giggle.

"Kitty, you are hopeless sometimes." Abigail sighed, but couldn't help grinning. Together they caught up with Rogue, who wouldn't talk to Kitty until Abigail started to imitate her in a good-humoured way.

In the science corridor, Kurt scanned the crowds of scholars for Abigail. Everyone had suddenly poured in after the bell went, in huge groups, laughing and chatting, so it became quite impossible for him to pick out Abigail's ginger-haired head from the crowd.

"Hey, Kurt?" Kurt whipped round to see Polly Crave, a girl from his math class. She was always giggling, and had two older sisters in the cheerleading squad. Kurt found her vaguely boring.

"Uh, jah?" He didn't notice Abigail turn the corner. She caught sight of Kurt and Polly and stopped short.

"Will you go to the Shadow Dance with me?" Kurt was left speechless. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but Abigail… He turned his head to try and find her, but Abigail had been engulfed in a wave of jocks fighting to get to their gym lesson. Kurt turned back to Polly, trying desperately to think of a suitable excuse to deny her invitation. Amanda took his speechless silence as a yes.

"Great! Pick me up at 7, at my house? It's 56 Greenfield Drive. See you!" Polly skipped off, followed by her two blonde friends. Kurt felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown over him. It didn't help that when he turned around he saw Abigail staring at him from the end of the corridor, the crowded rush now gone. She shut her agape mouth and walked very quickly in the other direction, trying not to blush.

Reviews always welcome, next chapter up soon! BP


	6. Lithenymph Snaps

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

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The Shadow Dance night soon dawned. Abigail had already told Rogue and Kitty she wasn't going, but they still tried to convince her to go. After several bouts of soaking, or windswept hair catastrophes, Kitty and Rogue came to the conclusion that Abigail was set on not going. Kitty had got a date with Lance (which Abigail eventually got used to) and Rogue had managed to convince some guy called Gambit to go with her. Scott was going with Tarren, and Jean with Duncan. Abigail didn't need reminding who Kurt was going with, but Evan had secured a date with another skater like him called Sienna. It was only Abigail, Logan, Ororo and Professor Xavier home. Abigail listened to everyone getting ready to go, and heard to sound of Scott's car driving off. Then Lance arrived to collect Kitty, and the sound of a motorbike alerted Abigail to the presence of Gambit. Evan had gone before everyone else on his skateboard, and Jean called goodbye to Abigail as Duncan pulled up. By 7pm everyone had gone and Abigail was alone in the R&R room. She watched TV for an hour; her distant eyes blandly gazing into those of comedians that hopelessly failed to make her laugh and then went to bed, dragging her feet along to her room. She lay awake till she heard the sound of everyone returning, then turned on her side and went to sleep.

Weeks passed without event. The brotherhood stayed unusually quiet, causing no trouble apart from the occasional insult hurled in the school corridors. The shadow dance was forgotten (by all but Abigail, so it seemed), and it became common knowledge that Kurt and Polly were now a pair, to Abigail's dismay. Kitty and Rogue trained with Abigail in the Danger room, and Abigail's extension lessons improved her control of her powers in great leaps. But that didn't stop the wind howling mournfully when Abigail was in one of her rare depressive moods, or the plants wilting when she was tired. Professor Xavier soon found that these were side effects of her X-gene, and that even with more extensive training she wouldn't be able to prevent it from happening. It did, however, still alarm people when the water in the swimming pool suddenly started to foam and boil when Abigail got into a heated argument with someone on the phone, and it was only because of Scott shaking her on the shoulder that the flames in the oven ceased to envelop the chicken cooking inside, which had turned to cinders within seconds in the intense heat. When Jean enquired as to who she was yelling at on the phone, Abigail's voice went so dark that she was quite taken aback, even though Abigail only muttered something about 'some nut'. But everyone was tactful enough not to mention it.

In danger room sessions there was some debate about Abigail's code name. Just plain 'Element' was thrown around, but it didn't seem to convey Abigail as well as the Professor would have liked. Eventually, when Abigail's agility was brought to attention, Lithenymph was decided on, 'Lithe' for her supple way of fighting (she would often hold incredible positions in order to put the most weight before her attack) and 'Nymph' to relate to her power over the ancient elements and their subsequent relation to mythology. However, in training Abigail often forgot what her code name was, and accidently called the others by their true names. After a talk of how important code names were by Ororo- or Storm, as Abigail started to call her whenever they were alone- Abigail mentally recalled everyone's code name each morning around the table.

"Pass the orange juice, Nightcrawler." Abigail said one morning without noticing, and Kurt decided to let it pass. Since Abigail's heated phone conversation she had been seen by Logan and Rogue (who were subject to staying up late) spending much more time outside on her phone late at night, often waking others with her yelling. She had been in a bad mood all of one day once, and unfortunately she snapped when Evan accidently ran his skateboard over her foot.

"That hurt!" Abigail spat, leaning against the wall of the corridor and cradling her foot.

"Sorry, Abigail!" Evan was already round the corner. Abigail growled under her breath, something she had done at first to irritate Logan, but it had now become something she did out of habit. She walked outside, and sat down on a stone bench, her body rigid and her head bowed. Then, like a storm breaking, she let out a wild scream of frustration and the wood was in turmoil. Branches shook in the sudden gale of wind, fire leapt from Abigail's body in impulsive bursts, rain broke forth from the skies and the earth trembled.

In the midst of all this, somewhere, Abigail was crying.

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Thanks for reading, would love some reviews also- the subject of Abigail's frustration may soon be revealed… BP


	7. Conversations

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

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It was when Kurt and Polly were walking home that Kurt was getting slightly tired of Polly constantly talking about her dad's new car.

"Can't we talk about something else?" He quickly asked when Polly had stopped for breath. She pouted.

"I thought you _liked _cars."

"Nein-" Polly raised an eyebrow. "I mean, no."

"I thought every boy liked cars. What do you want to talk about then?" Kurt shrugged. His eyes lit up as Abigail drove past them with Scott, Rogue and Kitty. Abigail turned and waved, her hair billowing out and whipping around her face, and Scott's red and white car disappeared round a corner. Polly quickly took in his sudden change in demeanour and decided she didn't like it.

"Do you like her?" Polly asked, glaring after the car. Kurt raised his eyebrows innocently.

"Who?" He asked, hoping she didn't mean Abigail.

"Her. Gingernut." Kurt felt, to his surprise, a small surge of dislike for Polly. Or could it be protectiveness over Abigail?

"Well, jah-yes. I do, she's good fun." Polly let out a dry laugh.

"I'm sure she is. With hair like _that_ she's have to be. It's not natural, of course."

"Yes it is!" Polly raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be an idiot, Kurt, of course it isn't. Who would want to dye their hair that colour anyway?" Kurt looked away from Polly's face and tried to restrain himself from saying anymore. He failed.

"I think it's natural. I haven't seen any sign of brown, blonde or black roots, and there's no dye in the bathroom." Polly smirked.

"Oh yeah, you two live at that 'institute', don't you? What's your talent, then? It's not maths, that's for certain." Kurt frowned. He had never really wanted to go out with Polly, but she had been okay since the Shadow Dance. Now she had suddenly turned sour. Was she jealous of his friendship with Abigail?

Over the past few weeks Kurt and Abigail had grown closer. Abigail had stopped jumping when he suddenly appeared near her, and Kurt had stopped being so clingy. When they had both got used to one another, and learnt their likes and dislikes, it was no surprise to the rest of the people at the Institute that they soon became very close friends, as close (and possibly closer) than Rogue and Kitty were to Abigail. Kurt had helped Abigail with her German, which she almost failed at in the first term, and in turn Abigail had helped Kurt with his martial arts in the danger room. It had turned out that Abigail was more experienced than seemingly everyone except Logan, because she had 'been trained' (was all she would say on the subject) in the art of fighting with no weapons except her body. She had also done gymnastics since she could remember, and to everyone's great surprise, she did ballet.

"It's not sissy." She would impatiently explain to Rogue and Evan, who were the bane of her taunting for her interest in ballet. "It helped me develop more control of my body. Pirouetting on one foot is hard!" No-one really believed her until she finally got irritated and showed then how fast she could pirouette, and when Evan and Rogue tried, they soon found it was much harder than it looked. Soon the taunting dwindled into a faint smile when Abigail had to go to her lessons, to Abigail's delight.

So it was very understandable that Kurt should feel so inclined to erupt when Polly started to insult Abigail behind her back, and more so, infront of him. He looked up to the cloudy sky after Polly had gone home, and tried to expel all his frustration and anger at Polly's insults. But Kurt knew he couldn't carry on being with Polly when he knew her dislike for Abigail. Or could he?

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Reviews always needed, and thanks for reading! BP


	8. The Playboy Rose

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

Abigail scuffed her feet along the sidewalk. The wind howled through the trees, making branches whip the walls lining the pavement. She was not in a good mood.

School had been hellish for Abigail; Pietro had whizzed past her in the canteen and taken her chair from beneath her feet, and Todd had covered her hair in slime when she was trying to do her overdue homework in the locker rooms. It had taken over half an hour to wash out all the green, gloopy stuff, and even then Abigail had to resist soaking Pietro and Todd back, for the Professor would not be pleased. It was enough that Polly had been sneering at her all day, and it was even worse that Kurt hadn't done anything about it. He had just stood there, looking at the floor and shuffling his feet. Rogue, of course, had made Polly soon wish she hadn't compared Abigail's hair to the boiled carrots of the canteen. She used words Abigail hadn't even heard of, let alone supposed they exist.

Abigail moodily kicked a can out of her way into the road, where a car ran it over into a small metal disk. The wind mimicked her irritated mood and kicked up leaves and debris from the pavement. A puddle next to her foot quivered like a Chihuahua might shiver in the cold.

Kitty was at training for some Athletics thing, and Rogue had to stay behind to do a re-test in German, so Abigail was walking home on her own. Scott and Jean were getting out late because of something or the other, and Evan always skateboarded his way home in solitude. Abigail didn't dislike walking home alone-but when she was in a bad mood, it did help if someone was beside her to keep her mind on other things.

The reason why Abigail was in a bad mood was something she was not willing to let others know about. This reason was utterly horrid and repulsive to Abigail, and it-Abigail looked up and stopped for a moment. The 'reason' was standing by the gates of the Xavier Institute right now.

"Rose?!" Abigail spluttered loud enough for her to hear. Rose turned and saw Abigail, and smiled with her perfectly white, cosmetically aligned teeth. Her teeth were not the only thing that had been cosmetically enhanced-although cosmetic surgery was supposed to be from a certain age up, private surgeons didn't care much as long as a backhander kept them going.

"Hello, little sister." Rose's voice was sugary sweet, but her eyes had narrowed and malice sparked out of them. Abigail gritted her teeth and stayed where she was.

"I'm only younger than you by ten minutes, _twin._"

Rose shrugged like she couldn't be bothered with this detail. As long as she was once again better than Abigail on some finicky point, that was all that mattered to her.

"Got any closer to the Playboy mansion?" Abigail muttered as she walked past her to the gates.

"Just a couple more years to go. Don't try to make me feel bad about it; I'm going to have a better future than you. You're a freak, and no-body will give work to a freak."

Abigail didn't reply.

"Mum and Dad sent me." Abigail punched in a code into the tiny silver box mounted in the wall.

"I don't want anything to do with _them_. They made it perfectly clear that they had practically disowned me."

"I'm not surprised."

"Why did they send you?" Abigail turned and faced her twin, but despite this they had nothing in common, appearance or otherwise. Rose had blonde honey-coloured hair(dyed, of course), and favoured showing off as much of her tanned body as possible. Pink was her favourite colour, and she had spared no money in supplying her wardrobe with Playboy accessories and heels higher than a prostitutes annual salary. Because to be blunt, Rose wanted to be a prostitute. She would, of course, be funded by her parents. Rose was the apple of their eye-she looked pretty and attracted businessmen, young and old, by serving drinks at their company functions.

"They said either you can come back willingly, or they'll call in-" at this moment a car horn beeped, covering the sound of Rose's words, but Abigail could interpret the word formed by her lips perfectly. A horrified expression spread across her face.

"No. No, they wouldn't. But, isn't-"

"Abigail, are you planning on staying out here all day?" Rogue stood behind Rose, not paying her the slightest bit of attention. Abigail paused, levelling eyelines with her sister.

"No." Abigail turned her back on Rose and had her finger scanned. An electronic voice welcomed her and the gates opened. Rogue and Abigail sauntered through, and as the gates closed on Rose's face she yelled one last thing-though, of course, she only raised her voice rather than yelled, because yelling is _so _'mank'.

"And he still thinks you're a demon!" Abigail sped up her pace up the drive, and Rose smiled to herself in a cat-like way. Then she turned, and crossed the road, humming to herself and stabbing the small metal disk with one sharp, slim stiletto heel.

Reviews always welcome, constructive criticism valued! BP


	9. The Floodgate

I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

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For the next few weeks after Rose's visit, Abigail was definitely not herself. She didn't go skating with Evan anymore, Kitty and Rogue could not persuade Abigail to leave the institute on weekends and holidays, and the most noticeable of all, Abigail seemed to avoid Kurt. Even though he would pop up now and again, in the way that he so frequently did, Abigail no longer laughed about it and made him feel as though he was just the person she wanted to see (and in most cases, this was true). Instead she would notice him, smile, maybe say hello, and then either go back to what she was doing or drift off. It was very disconcerting. Eventually, Kitty got quite worried and asked the professor to talk to Abigail. Although Abigail was much closer to Storm, the professor seemed to have a higher level of understanding about problems. Especially when they concerned family.

It was a bleak Sunday afternoon when Abigail was called into the Professor's study. The wind and rain splashed meekly against the windows, and although Abigail looked tired, the professor wasn't sure whether she knew if her downcast mood could be affecting the weather.

"Please, sit down, Abigail." The professor motioned to a wing-back chair facing his own wheelchair. The fire sent shadows wavering over the weary teen's face, highlighting the bags under her eyes and the unintentional, almost comical, downturn of her lips. Abigail kept her eyes on the floor, looking as if she longed to sleep. A moment of silence passed.

"Now, Abigail, everyone has been noticing how…vague you have been lately. I don't know if you've noticed, but your mood has started to affect even the weather. There is definitely something on your mind, Abigail, that is affecting you deeply." No signs stirred on Abigail's face to show she was even comprehending that the professor was talking. "It often helps to tell someone what's worrying you. Maybe this problem will seem less daunting if you know you're not alone."

Abigail hesitantly lifted her head to look at the professor. Hazy thoughts were floating around in her head, but one black, swirling, pulsing mass of worry, memory and fear seemed to overshadow everything else. It was only now a tiny pinprick of light had been apprehended that Abigail began to think rationally.

"Just talk, Abigail. I promise you, nothing will leave this room if you don't want it to." Abigail's green eyes had not lost nay of their spark throughout her sudden drop in mood, and this was what the professor grasped onto as their eyes connected. Then-

"Rose said they were going to send…this person." Abigail no longer registered the fire, or the rain, or even the professor. All she could do was keep remembering.

"And it is this person who is worrying you?"

"If he finds me, I don't know what I'll do." Panic drifted into Abigail's mind, but she didn't pay any attention to it.

"Tell me about him." The professors voice was more like faint background noise than anything present. Abigail subconsciously registered it, though, and kept on talking.

"His name is Jake…he's my brother. Before my powers were noticed, and everything was normal, we were so close. He hated the rest of my family like I did. Everyone made jokes about it-" Nasty, spiteful jokes that still hurt, "because he was slightly unsettled in the mind. Anger problems, and stuff. Probably because he grew up when times were tough and none of the businesses were very successful. But I loved him. He was my brother. Then…"

"He found out about your gift?"

"It's not a gift." Abigail snapped. Then, as suddenly as this uncharacteristic snap had arisen, it disappeared. She sounded tired once again. "I didn't want it. It was alien. Just another thing to make me feel like I didn't belong in that family. When he found out, and then when they found out, it was the perfect excuse…no, it wasn't an excuse, it was a _reason _for them to get rid of me. But that didn't hurt, that was what I wanted. But when he saw me-" The feel of dirt on her knees, new hands staring her in the face, trees swaying around her, footsteps. Then- "I wasn't his sister anymore. I was a freak. A demon. He had never been religious, but when he saw me differently, heaven was still unreal, but hell was alive it had sent me, a demon, a devil, something with scales and-" She looked up all of a sudden, and blinked. One small movement, but it signalled a change. She cleared her throat.

"He tried to kill me then. Defending himself, I suppose he'd stay. Then I got deported here, and he got sent to some Asylum, something where he'd be out the way too. If my parents give him so much as a hint as to where I am, he'll find some way to get here, probably with a little help. Then…"

"I have no reason to doubt the cruelty of humans, but are you convinced he's try to kill you? Or even harm you? Time is a great healer."

"Time also lets people dwell on their memories. Time lets emotions build up and overflood." Her voice was as hard as stone. "If he finds me, I won't be worried about the cruelty of humans, but the savageness of the demons underground."

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Phew! Sorry it's been a long time since I updated, but I'd really appreciate some R&R's to let me know if I'm losing it. Thanks! BP


	10. Oasis

I do not own X-men: Evolution or anything to do with it.

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Now that the Professor had stepped up security around the institute following a fall in security over in England (to do with the NHS' sudden bankruptcy, and therefore the decision to release patients who had been given 'good behaviour' reports), Abigail was almost herself again. This was apart from her over-alert reactions to the slightest thing, but even though Kurt's unscheduled appearances did stir this, he was pleased greatly by the small fact that it spawned a whole conversation, rather than a just a faint greeting.

Summer had rolled in at last, causing moods to rise and a great excuse for the pool to be used for 'recreational' activities rather than rescue drills. Because of this the Xavier Institute pupils flocked to the pool like wild animals to an oasis every day after school, throwing away the chains of homework and stiff silence while a monotone voice tried to fill their heads with grey gunk. Bags where thrown away in the hall and the sound of feet thumping up the staircase made thunder sound like the far-off cry of a yellow canary. Swimming costumes were donned, flip-flops rooted out from under beds and wardrobes, and towels were grabbed from bathrooms, leaving them as bare as a tree in the autumn. Then, when they were all out by the pool and all the deckchairs and sun beds had been commandeered, all manner of games took over the last few hours of the day. This particular day, water volleyball had been designated as the chosen ruler of the pupils' afternoon. Everyone was in the pool (except for Rogue, Logan, Storm and the professor), and so the water was filled with bodies- waves careered everywhere, the raging hustle of trying to thump the ball back to other side caused many to displace water over the side. This caused much displeasure for Logan and Rogue, while Storm and the professor just smiled as their books got mildly splattered.

At the beginning of the game it had been rationally decided that no powers were to be used- but as soon as Abigail was accused of manipulating the water, this rule was quickly expelled. Kurt teleported himself around one side of the pool, pushing some out of the way and surprising others even more, Kitty certainly disturbed Evan when she phased through him, only to find the ball was out of reach, seeing as Jean was hovering it in the air so that Scott could find his glasses, which had fallen off in the mayhem. Evan pouted slightly in the corner.

"It isn't fair. All of you are using your powers, and I can't!"

"Well, you can use them if you want, but one of us may suddenly find ourselves short of an arm. Or a head." Abigail smiled, catching the ball as it fell down into her open hands. On her side of the pool, Kitty and Jean waited anxiously for the game to begin again. Kurt, Scott and Evan talked on the other side, laughing and splashing the water and basically paying no heed to the fact that the other team were eager to start the game. It had been decided (in good humour) that it should be a girls vs. boys game, partly because the teams were always Abigail, Evan and Jean, and Kitty, Kurt and Scott. Their training was very intensive and so their agility and physical fitness was top-notch, but despite this, Kitty, Kurt and Scott always won with finesse. It had got to the point where Jean decided to try and change this.

"Come on, guys. We want to start the game!" Abigail yelled, and when they took no notice, she impatiently brushed her hand to the side. A monstrous wave of water engulfed the three on the other side simultaneously. Abigail stifled a surprised laugh, but Kitty and Jean let their amusement become obvious to everyone.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to be so…vigorous!" Abigail laughed, giving in. Scott and Evan were mildly indignant, but Kurt let out a cry of dismay. His dark blue hair was longer than any of the other males at the institute, and like most of them, he hated the routine of drying his hair. Because of his fur, the drying routine after every shower took as long as the washing process itself. Needless to say, this setback inconvenienced Kurt hugely.

"My hair! Abigail, look what you've done!" Evan splashed him again, grinning.

"You sound exactly like Kitty when she's got caught in the rain."

"I'm not surprised. Cat's don't like water, do they?" Jean said in her gentle, let humorous way.

"Come on, let's start the game!" Abigail's impatience showed quickly, as she turned the ball over in her hands.

"I think that little foul just earned us the first serve." Kurt said, folding his arms.

"Nu-uh!" Kitty exclaimed, but Kurt had already teleported beside Abigail to try to grab the ball. Abigail had anticipated his sudden movement, and so stepped backwards, throwing the ball to Jean at the same time. It took Kurt a moment to realise that she no longer had the ball, and when he did, it took him a couple of seconds to try and claim the ball from Jean. This passing around of the ball soon got the game started, and Kurt's little…delay was forgotten by all. Well, except two.

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Thanks for reading, reviews always needed! BP


	11. Chores

I do not own X-men Evolution or anything to do with it.

Kurt never liked to cause people to feel bad about themselves. So when he came to the decision that maybe Polly was not as nice as she had seemed, there was some conflict in his conscience about what to do. He would have turned to Abigail, or Kitty, or even Evan for help, but they were all so close-knit that asking one of them for advice was like posting a help article in a gossip magazine. Jean seemed to be the only person Kurt could think of who could keep a secret relatively secret.

"Jean?" Jean looked up from washing some dishes. She had been unlucky enough to get stuck with the job of washing up after the Sunday dinner (or 'Gorge-Fest', as Evan called it), and so had been cleaning up for half an hour now. Everyone else had scattered either to the pool or the R&R room, claiming at first they had homework to do. But unless their homework included having a gaming tournament on the Playstation 2, the sounds emanating from the room didn't sound very bookish.

"Oh, hi Kurt. What's the matter?" Jean's soft voice immediately reassured Kurt that he had chosen the right person.

"Uh…it's Polly."

"Oh. What about her?"

"I don't think we're suited for each other." Kurt teleported to sit on the table, his tail swishing behind him. Jean smiled as she swept a cloth over a handful of spoons.

"Alright. So I presume you don't know how to tell her this, hm?" Kurt was relieved that he didn't have to spell it out as much as he thought he would have to.

"Yes. I mean, how do I break off with her without hurting her feelings? I don't want her to hate me." Kurt's earnest side broke out, causing Jean to feel a breeze of affection for him. The fact that she had seen Polly wandering into the broom closet with Jason Preemer just the other day made it a lot easier for her to find a solution to Kurt's problem.

"Break it to her gently, in person. Just tell her that you feel like your-" she coughed, "Relationship isn't going very far. Make sure you tell her you still want to be friends. Doesn't leave her with a sour taste in the mouth." Kurt absorbed this advice and turned it over in his head. It seemed considerate enough, and the perfect way to at least vaguely guarantee that there would be no immediate dislike between the two. As soon as Kurt had decided that this was the best way to break up with Polly, Abigail appeared in the doorway.

"Come on, you two. We're having another racing tournament, seeing as Kitty got over exited on her go and phased through the controller." There was a faint cry of protest from the R&R room, and at this Abigail smiled. "The system faulted, so now we're starting again. Kurt, you're with me, and Jean, you're with Scott." A growl from behind Abigail made her jump. As she turned around Logan sauntered into the kitchen and walked over to the fridge. His nostrils flared as he smelt the faint odour of something burning, and when he turned to look at Abigail, her eyes were only just turning back to green. The yellow glow seemed to hang in the air.

"You want to play, Logan?" She asked, knowing the answer before Logan spoke.

"No thanks, kid." He turned to face them, taking a bottle of beer from the fridge. The fridge door closed with a muted 'click'.

"Alright then. Jean, do you want some help?" Abigail noticed (finally) that Jean was still washing up.

"I just need to finish these last few plates, and then dry them. I'll be a couple of minutes, but you can start without me." Jean flicked a curtain of red hair over her shoulder.

"If you let me do it, I'll be a couple of seconds." Abigail said, leaning against the draining board. A small breeze fluttered through the air.

"If you're sure-" Jean started, but Abigail shrugged.

"It's not going to put me out or anything, is it?" And sure enough, within a couple of seconds, the water had vigorously churned over the remaining plates and a strong gust of wind had blown the last few water droplets off them. The plates settled quietly on top of one another on the draining board as the last of the wind died away.

"Alright? Come on then." Abigail, Kurt and Jean made their way to the R&R room, but Logan went over to the dishes to pick up a shard from the floor. He dropped it in the bin as he went by, but as he walked past the sink there was a cheer from the R&R room- and, at the same time, the remaining water leaped up, and then splashed back into the sink, spraying Logan and wetting the plates once again.

Logan decided not to tell Abigail of her mishaps that day. It was almost a relief to see her using her powers, even if they weren't controlled very well. That dismal period when she was so limp was enough to let everyone see that she was not always as energetic as she seemed.

Little did he know that the source of this energy she always had was far more complicated than common hormonal mood swings.

Reviews appreciated, needed and considered, thanks for reading. BP


	12. Attrition and Destruction

I do not own X-Men: Evolution or anything to do with it. Except this story, or course.

Abigail lazed back in her chair, tipping her head back and letting her hair hang away from her neck. It was hot outside, and the warm air circulated within the classroom as efficiently as a terrier trying to run a computer via a hamster wheel. Abigail's neck was damp with sweat, but even though it may sound quite repulsive, she could smell the faint odour coming from the boys at the back of the classroom where the windows were. The people in the front row bathed in the cool air radiating from the painfully slow rotating fan, and as Abigail rested her head in her arms once more, she felt the heavy air settle upon her once more. Temptation to use her power flittered through her, but seeing as all the windows were closed and she was in the second-last row, a breeze would have been welcome, but most strange among those who were next to her. She fought off the desire to expel water from the fire extinguishers above her head and started to doodle on the inside cover of her geography book. Soldiers and castles joined a herd of cows running across a desert strewn with cactuses and pink flowers. And on the edge of her book, an apple tree stood spreading it's branches over a plane with a forked tail hanging down and twisting in the air…

"Abigail?" Abigail snapped her head up and covered her book cover with her hand. She then ran a hand through her hair to get it out of her face, and sat up straight to look over the head of the basketball captain sitting in front of her.

"Yes, Mr Green?"

"I would be most grateful if you answered my question."

"Um-" Abigail scanned the board. Coastal processes, a clip diagram, some dots in a crudely drawn sea…erosion! What was it?

"Attrition, Mr Green?" She ventured, closing her book slowly.

"Yes, Abigail, that's it. And the other…?" Mr Green looked through his thick glasses and blinked in quick succession, a habit which spawned him the name "Blinky".

"Errr…I'm not sure…"

"Ah, veering between destructive and constructive, hm?" He chuckled, and carried on talking, marking Abigail's wit. "Very witty, very witty indeed…well, class, I can tell you that it's destructive-the fetch…" Abigail sank back into her seat. She had no idea what had just occurred in Mr Green's mind, but she was glad not to be the centre of attention any more. It was never very fun when you had no idea how to react. She fiddled with a hairband on her wrist she had picked up somewhere, and then reached up to tie her hair into a ponytail. As she leant her head back to grasp at all of her hair, she looked up through the skylight at the back of the classroom. She held this position for quite a while- because she could not stop staring. Peering through the skylight was Kurt, looking quite agitated, and with a couple of silent yells, Evan, Kitty, Jean and Scott's head popped into view as well, all circling round the skylight. They all held the same expression of worry. Abigail was no lip-reader, but it was plainly obvious that she was needed urgently.

Mr Green was in the process of explaining corrosion to his class when a hand suddenly shot up above the heads of the other pupils. It stood still for a few seconds, then started to wave manically. Mr Green stopped and sighed.

"What is it, Abigail?"

"Sir, can I go to the toilet, please?" Mr Green held back a laugh. No wonder Abigail had sounded strained before.

"Can't you wait five minutes or so for the bell?" He asked, taking pleasure in this detour from his usual lessons.

"No sir, it's urgent." Abigail rolled her eyes, knowing that he could not see her. She cursed inwardly as she decided to resort to almost certain ridicule among her classmates. _This had better be worth it. _Was all that she thought, before she winced and opened her mouth to speak.

Abigail fell out of the classroom and ran down the corridor to the hysterical laughter emanating from classroom XII. Hr last glimpse of her geography lesson was Mr Green's red face and widened eyes, and the indulgent faces of her delighted classmates. She swung her bag over her shoulder and skidded round the corner, throwing caution to the side as she blew the doors open when she was metres away. They banged against the walls with an almighty sound, and when Abigail was still speedily sprinting ino the fresh air, she heard the alarmed cries from the labs on either side of the doors. A small boom followed her s she made her way to the only part of the building that had no windows on all it's four storeys- the presentation room and all of the changing rooms and toilets. She launched herself off the ground and shot through the air like a bullet from a gun and dropped onto the gravely roof of the school, jumping over pipes and down ladders until she reached the gathering of her friends atop of the part of the building that housed the high-ceilinged assembly hall. She panted as she came to a halt before them, the looks of urgency on their faces still present.

"For god's sake, what the hell's happened?!" She gasped as she rested her hands on her knees and bent over, pulling in great gulps of air. No-one answered her. Abigail looked up through a curtain of ginger hair. Something was very wrong.

"What?" She asked, straightening up. Her voice was still ragged. "What's happened? Why are we up here?" The sound of a plane passed overhead. Abigail looked from face to face. "Look, what-" The sound of the plane was getting louder. Abigail followed her friend's gazes upwards and saw the familiar shape of the Xavier Institute plane hovering a dozen metres above her head. The back of it was open, and there was Logan and Ororo, in their full x-men kit. Abigail heard a 'poof', and looked back to se only Jean standing infront of her. Abigail felt dread run through her body as she recalled a proposed Health Department incident a couple of months back, and about a certain policy that had been raised…

"Oh god." She stepped back. "He's…oh, Christ…"

"We're doing everything we can, honest, we are. The professor thinks it best that you're kept somewhere away from people who could be harmed. There was just a small fault in the filing office, a mix up…"

"Is he close?"

"Relatively." Abigail swallowed.

"Oh. Well."

"Abigail-"

"Jean," Abigail breathed deeply. "Just get me somewhere safe. Please."

Sorry for the delayed update! BP


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